#133 I-Day At The Naval Academy

I-Day can feel like a blur you can’t control, until you understand what’s actually happening and what you can do to support your future midshipman without adding stress. We talk through the real-world logistics that trip families up, starting with the one resource that beats every rumor: the USNA Permit to Report package. We share practical tips on access to the yard, why the stadium parking and shuttle plan is the safest bet, what IDs to carry, and how a simple dry run the day before can lower anxiety fast.

Then we get honest about the emotional side. Your future midshipman is stepping into a major life transition, and the best help often looks like fewer plans, more flexibility, and letting them lead the final 24 hours. We explain what happens inside Alumni Hall during in-processing, why timelines vary, and how parents can fill the long, hot waiting day with the Dahlgren Hall expo, yard tours, and the Superintendent and Commandant briefing, including why you should not miss the guidance on first phone calls home.

We also untangle the organizations that support midshipmen and families. You’ll hear how the USNA Alumni Association serves parents through the Parent Club Network, the parent dashboard at usna.com/PTR, and the Plebe Summer photo program. We break down the Naval Academy Athletic Association and the big myth about “tax dollars” by explaining how Navy Athletics is largely self-funded, plus how to support through NavySports.com. Finally, the Naval Academy Foundation explains the “margin of excellence” and how philanthropic giving fuels leadership development, the Center for Academic Excellence, athletics support, and programs that strengthen the moral, mental, and physical mission.

USNA Parent Portal: https://www.usna.com/ptr

What is NAAA: https://navysports.com/sports/2018/5/23/ot-what-is-naaa-html.aspx

Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation: https://www.usna.com/

USNA Mom's Journey (Dad's Need This Too!): https://www.amazon.com/USNA-Moms-Journal-through-Commissioning-ebook/dp/B093FWWNQZ

John Schofield: john.schofield@usna.com

Lori Coogan: lori.coogan@usna.com

Kala Giddish: giddish@usna.edu

Karen Hicks: karen.hicks@usna.com

Subscribe for more practical USNA guidance, share this with a new USNA parent, and leave a review with the one I-Day question you still want answered.

For any real estate questions, please text me at 650-282-1964

To stay most up to date with Grant, Naval Academy updates, and real estate insights, follow him on LinkedIn

The mission of Academy Insider is to guide, serve, and support Midshipmen, future Midshipmen, and their families.

This podcast is independently produced and reflects the views and opinions of its creators. It is not officially affiliated with, endorsed by, or representative of the United States Naval Academy or its affiliates.

Grant Vermeer your host is the person who started it all.  He is the founder of Academy Insider and the host of The Academy Insider podcast. He was a recruited athlete which brought him to Annapolis where he was a four year member of the varsity basketball team. He was a cyber operations major and commissioned into the Cryptologic Warfare Community. He was stationed at Fort Meade and supported the Subsurface Direct Support mission.

He separated from the Navy in 2023 and now owns The Vermeer Group, a residential real estate company that matches service academy families with trusted real estate teams all across the country.  Text (650) 282-1964 with any real estate questions.

We are here to be your guide through the USNA experience.

Connect with Grant on Linkedin
Academy Insider Website
Academy Insider Facebook Page

If you ar...

Transcript

Quick Disclaimer And Purpose

SPEAKER_01 0:06

Before we get started, I want to make a quick disclaimer to make sure everyone knows Academy Insider and myself, Grant Premier, are in no ways official representatives of the United States Naval Academy, the Navy, andor the Department of War. What I'm doing here again is just trying to provide a little bit of context perspective and understanding for the Naval Academy journey, but my use of the Naval Academy and conversation about them does not imply endorsement from the institution. If you ever have any questions directly for the Naval Academy, I encourage you to reach out to them directly and the Public Affairs Office. I appreciate it. Thank you so much. And I hope you have a great listen to the episode.

Meet Lori And John

SPEAKER_01 0:38

All right, team. We're here with John and Lori today. Thank you both so much for taking the time to talk a little bit about I Day, I Day preparation and the Alumni Association at large. But before we jump into it, starting with Lori, if you don't mind, just giving a quick introduction. Again, people may be familiar with you if they're longtime fans of Academy and Center have been listening. But again, if you don't mind just giving a quick introduction about you, your role at the Alumni Association, and how you're affiliated with the Naval Academy.

SPEAKER_02 1:06

Yep. I'm Lori Coogan. I'm the director of parent programs at the Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation. And generally I just work with parents. It's all about parent engagement. And the best way we I can engage parents is actually through our Parent Club Network, which is we have about 70 parent clubs across the United States that are standing by waiting for new parents to join them because they are a great source of information. And I've been working, this is gonna be my sixth I Day since I've been in here, and um I'm pretty familiar with what's going on. And uh yeah, so just also a um a spouse of a grad. Um I actually went to come uh I I didn't go to I Day. No, it didn't go to I Day. I went to plead parent weekend when my husband was a was a my boyfriend back then was a clead.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

It's kind of crazy. What about you, John?

SPEAKER_00 2:03

Well, I mean, you know, Lori knows the Aperol spritzes were uh were rolling a little heavy back then during plead parent weekend, but uh I I'm so happy to to join this podcast and and support this podcast and and be your friend, Grant, and and and join you in this effort to continue to educate people about the Naval Academy and the Alumni Association. I'm in the communications business. I run communications here at the Alumni Association and Foundation. I've been doing it for three years. My last job on active duty uh was as the public affairs officer at the academy from 2013 to 2017, back in the days when you know we had some pretty athletic dudes running the basketball court there.

SPEAKER_01 2:48

But uh Grand Premier was sitting the bench. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Very good.

SPEAKER_00 2:53

I mean, it no one ran a pick and roll better, you know, get the ball on the block, drop step, baby hook, no big deal. Um, but but yeah, it it's a great honor for for me to to help you know amazing people like Lori get the word out to parents about all the support um, you know, and and connection, you know, enterprises that we have available to them across a really diverse portfolio of services. Um, you know, this isn't just about tailgates and reunions, you know, this is a much more elegant suite of support that's hyper-targeted at people like parents, people like you know, Annapolitans, alums from certain you know, vintages and class years. So it's it's much more about tailgates and happy to support Lori in that effort.

SPEAKER_01 3:40

Love it. Well, again, both of you, thank you so much uh for

The PTR Package Is The Playbook

SPEAKER_01 3:44

being here. As we transition into like general eye day preparation, again, what I'll start with before we even really get into the interview is just follow the permit to report package. And I don't mean to like oversimplify it or make it seem any crazy, but I I went through the I go through the permit to report package every year and I was looking at it again. It is so comprehensive that like I just mean it so genuinely is like sit down with the permit to report package and make sure that you just like you get it and you understand everything. And if you don't, then feel free to like reach out and ask if something's not like clicking. But that is the best guide for I day preparation, and it's not even close, right? Like, just go through that. If you follow all the steps, you'll be so prepared for actually showing up to Annapolis for I Day. And that's where we really get into this episode, which is about like that 24 hours prior to I Day. And again, with that along the lines, I think the first thing that the vast majority of parents um have either questions about or want opinion about, really, is transportation and access to the academy. When they're planning getting onto the yard, especially with everything that's going on in the world and the increased security postures, what does access to the yard likely look like for I Day? And are they gonna need to submit additional permissions or anything? Or how are people gonna be able to get onto the yard for I Day and make sure that they show up on time?

SPEAKER_02 5:17

Um, well, I'll I can add to that um information in the sense that you're gonna have access to the academy under there's not gonna everyone's gonna have access, every parent's gonna be able to get on, um, the family members. But there's two things that you need to have on you is a real ID, and I would say make everyone, everyone in your party a copy of that permits report letter as a way of access as well. Okay. Um as far as driving on the yard on I Day, not everyone will be able to drive on. The only people that will have access to drive on are people that hold a military ID um or cat card. But no, no D-bids um will have access that day. So biggest piece of advice, I know a lot of people don't love it, but go to the stadium, park there, take the bus over. The buses will be running plentiful, plentifully, and there will be um, you know, there won't be long wait times. Um but yes, that you everyone will be able to get access to the yard. As far as dropping off your mid, that's really um, you have the option of dropping them and then taking your car out and going to the stadium and parking and then coming back to meet them, or just all getting off at the stadium and coming together. I I recommend the latter because um you if you run late getting back to the yard and you drop them off and then they were and then they were called for the report time, you might miss them. So that that would be my recommendation.

SPEAKER_01 6:44

Yeah, absolutely. Uh I like again, I think that one uh is always interesting. And this is where you'll probably get my opinion on this one, which is uh it's gonna be tough to sleep the night before anyway. There's like there's so much uh excitement, nervousness, whatever you want to call it, whatever if on the positive to negative spectrum of anxiety, whether that's excitement or or nervousness, you're gonna feel it somewhere on there. Just plan on getting up early, getting over to the stadium, being there, getting feet on the ground. It's like pulling the full dad maneuver of like getting to the airport gate two hours before your flight, before you walk anywhere else. Like, just get to the yard and make sure that like you've you know the process and get there and get on. So that way you like there's not even a concern about it, right? There's not even a concern about it. Just get there, like process it once or twice. Again, even the day before, if you want to go to the yard and walk there and practice on getting through the gate and doing this stuff, so you just know where you're going, you know exactly where alumni hall is. Like, there's no question about where you're walking to and where you're showing up.

SPEAKER_02 7:48

Totally.

SPEAKER_01 7:49

Just do it, just do it. Again, it's just gonna, it's gonna save so much uh like anxiety on the morning of if we just kind of like go through and take care of it, um, you know, proactively.

SPEAKER_00 8:01

Yeah. I mean, Grant, I'm like the opposite of a helicopter parent. And I flew to Oregon with my son and literally walked from building to building with him to make sure like he knew where he was going, like first day of classes. And that wasn't for his freshman year, that was for his sophomore year, you know. So, like, I think that we're talking about parents here, and this might sound like a backhanded compliment, but these are these are a group of people who read you know these packages and and go and do these dry runs and make sure they know where alumni hall is, and they're getting there with plenty of time, you know. So, you know, I I think you know, you you you hit the main thing, which is read the package. And these are people who are generally good at reading people. If you've navigated, you know, getting an appointment and getting into the Naval Academy, you guys as a tribe know how to read this package and follow

Getting On The Yard And Parking

SPEAKER_00 8:55

it. I I almost want to reverse engineer it. And to your point, Grant, what do you do in that 24 hours ahead of time? You know, that that's really where, you know, I I would encourage people to like just get out of their mid's way or their soon-to-be mid's way, because you've got a million things running through your head, including the idea of losing your cell phone for six weeks the next day, you know, which is anxiety-driven enough. But, you know, I I don't know. Like I what what advice would you have based on you know what your emotions were doing, the uh you know, the day before I day report, you know, and how can parents best support their kids in that sense?

SPEAKER_01 9:34

Yeah, 100%. I mean, uh that that one spot on to me too, which is I was nervous uh as all get out. I was I was super nervous. And I mean, my situation was even a little bit different because again, a lot of sports teams for a lot of recruited varsity athletes, like their team may host kind of a meet and greet of all the you know incoming plebs. And so we did that before I Day. Like we went to Coach DeCellis' house in Annapolis, we met all the basketball players, we met all the basketball players' families, and so it was kind of like set for us already, um, which was positive. But uh it's my it's my thing for plea parents weekend too, and like this day before I Day, which is like don't make too many plans. Just like just kind of go, it's one of these things where just go with the flow because you're not sure how you're gonna feel. I remember like we we had made reservations, even like because we got out there really early. Like my parents were excited about it. We got over like two days early. And the first night we got you know, dinner at at um uh like an Italian restaurant up on uh West Street close to close to at the time, right? What was it, Lowe's Hotel, I think that's we were staying or up by the West Carpaccio. Yeah, that's the one. And uh and I got like I just wasn't hungry. You know, I was you just got the you know what I mean. You just got like the feeling, and so again, I less less plans, more just like super low-key. Listen to your kid uh of like you know how they want to navigate this last 24 to 36 hours. And again, here's here's my pitch. Obviously, I'm not a parent yet. Uh you know, hopefully at some point in the future, uh, you know, I want to be a dad. But like you, as the parent in this situation, and this this like dynamic will flip in about four years once they're completely done. But like you kind of need to lead the way of the selflessness at this point in your life, right? And like know that this this 24 hours isn't about you, and that's tough to hear when you're about to, your baby's about to leave you and be completely out of communication, and you may want that relationship in those last moments with them, like as best as you can, like be able to separate and take one step back and just kind of facilitate them leading the situation of getting there and doing it the way that they want. Like, again, they're about to embark on this journey uh for them. And uh, and again, the best that you can again facilitate that and allow that to happen. I I just think it's gonna be best in the long run for all parties. And yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:06

Yeah, and then that's really good advice

The Day Before Mindset And Dry Runs

SPEAKER_02 12:08

about the day before. If you have the opportunity, definitely go on the yard and just walk around. And I know we'll talk about the oath of office a little bit in a little bit, but little pro tip is that day before is your good opportunity to pick a place on a yard that you want to meet after the oath of office too. So um highly recommend doing that. And then um one thing I do want to point out is for those prior enlisted and napsters, their their eye day is the day before. Yeah, so they will go through that same process the day before, and that information will be in their PTR. So, like like Grant said, read the PTR, get all the information that you need is there, and then there's another important little section in the PTR that's dedicated to parents. And parents, if your son or daughter has not shared that with you yet, please ask them to share that with you because it's just information about um our plea parent mixer and how to connect with parent clubs and how to connect with the alumni association as well. So just want to throw that out there.

SPEAKER_01 13:06

I love that. And we'll we'll uh we'll we'll touch on that even more. Uh, but like finding a spot uh, you know, right after the the oath of office is again a good good use of your time the day before, uh maximizing those last moments. Um so once we get to the actual morning of um, you know, and again, this would be from your guys' perspective of what you've seen over the time. And again, I'll be able to talk on my uh reflection on it as well. Um, but for the parents who may be like wondering, what happens after you drop them off? Like when they start their in-processing, what generally is going on um until you see them again? Um I'll take this, I'll leave it out to the the greater audience here to kind of run through some of the things that you may have seen. Um but brief.

SPEAKER_02 14:00

Yeah. Well, I can give you like an overview, and John can maybe get a little more granular considering he was, you know, he worked on the art and he might have been actually in alumni hall when some of this was going on. But generally they're getting dropped off, they're getting onboarded, as they call it. And so everything from uniform to equipment issues to um medical screenings to haircuts, um, everything handing in all their paperwork that they that they received either from the VA or the you know the doctor's office, all that is being processed in alumni hall. Um and they will get their their whites and um and then they'll start the process of um kind of marching them through their their stations. So that's general I I have not been actually inside alumni hall on I Day. I just know this from um what I've been told and uh from what last year when we did the webinar, we had um the plebe day, um, I'm sorry, the i Day OIC kind of give us a little bit of a snippet of what to expect. So I don't know, John can probably add more detail to that.

SPEAKER_00 15:06

Well, you know, and I also went through an I Day at West Point, which is a conversation for uh a different podcast at a different time, but but yeah, the the idea of is that in one building in a series of 25 to 40 stations, you are transforming as a human being. You know, you you go in there and you have your packet and you have your belongings, you have the shirt and you know, shoes and shorts on your back, and and you uh you know, you you walk in and a couple hours later you walk out with a new hairdo and a seabag. And you know, it it's a it's a whirlwind. And you know, what what's great about the process is that it's really a a credit to the Naval Academy and in and all service academies and how they process a thousand new students. Like, think think of that, you know, that that's a Herculean effort to get you know, probably 1,100 uh you know, probably close to 1,200 now students administratively in process for day one of school. Like there are elementary schools around here who still don't have their act together on stuff like this. And this is a it's a big effing deal. And and so the the way that they're able to do it with medical setup, you know, like really intricate, you know, medical screening, um, you know, blood draw to more administrative stuff, to, you know, almost comical things, like the garbage can for your, you know, no, no penalty, throw out your fake ID here, uh, you know, part of the of the in-processing, which by the way, was easily my most enjoyable part of I Day, because we'd get to like go through the IDs afterwards and look at how bad the fakes were. It was fantastic. Um But yeah, like in in those two hours, you know, while you know, you might think that your your kid is getting, you know, like the you know, the the officer and a gentleman Lewis Gossett Jr. thing. Yeah, there's there's purposeful use of of the inflection of the voice, but mostly it's just it's a really interesting symphony, and and I'll use it as my opportunity to really credit the Naval Academy for how they how they pull it off. I mean, it it is an example of it consultants should be studying how they do this.

SPEAKER_01 17:33

The operational efficiency is nuts. But like like you're saying, the process basically uh again, uh not counting naps and and and prior enlisted folks, it cut probably cuts it down to like 900, 950. But like again, to put like a thousand people through that on the day F is wild. And to your point, this isn't a small amount of stuff. My favorite thing in the world is uh midshipmen who may be smaller in stature is watching them carry that stuff around on eye day because uh some of those some of those bags and some of the equipment is like weighs more than they do.

SPEAKER_06 18:06

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

They're they're hucking that thing around, man. It's um it's relatively entertaining to watch. Um and uh again, the only thing I'll add to that as well, obviously, is like the processing through all this stuff and the equipment. Usually that's where you're also learning uh how to salute for the first time, which is always a really interesting one. And I feel like they generally get like good pictures of that station too. But generally in the loading dock of alumni hall, they'll they get teach the midshipmen how to salute. Uh so even if you don't know how to salute coming in, uh you'll get instruction uh ASAP on uh on learning how to salute for the first time. And it's so uh again, really interesting processing through alumni hall, incredible operational efficiency. And then for parents, again, in this case, after you've dropped your son or daughter off, you know, in years past, there's been kind of some larger displays, expos, picnics on hospital point um where parents can kind of go to. Will that be the case for this year? Um and and how should parents kind of think about what to do after dropping their their child off?

SPEAKER_02 19:13

Yeah, it it's a long day for parents. Um, I'm not gonna lie. It's it's for some reason it's always the hottest day of the year, too. I it just it always manages to be. So it's it's stressful, it's emotional, there's a lot going on. I would say take advantage of what activities there are on the yard just to kind of get your mind off of what you know everything and um keep you occupied. They we always there used to be an I Day picnic that the Alumni Association would host, and we're not doing that this year. Um, there is another option that will that parents can take advantage of is by going to Dalgren Hall, which unlike Hospital Point picnic, this is inside air conditioned and covered. So um they'll have an expo there um with some tables and some parent clubs that

What Happens Inside Alumni Hall

SPEAKER_02 20:01

are a little more local will be able to be there to welcome parents from their area. Um they'll have some other yard affiliated affiliated organizations, probably like NAA and the Chaplain's Office, and um the A-Link for the Nether Link in the Chain class of uh 1980 will be there welcoming parents. Um, they'll have many food options in Dahlgren. There's the dry dock, and I think they have plans to have some other um opportunities to get food there. Um the visitor center does um boat tours, they do yard tours. I mean, if you go to the visitor center, you can sign up for different activities. Even at the visitor center, they have like a nice small theater where you can learn about the history of the Naval Academy. They have nice displays on the wall, um, some interactive displays that are fun. So just take advantage and take that all in while you're here and maybe get get your mind off of everything that's going on. And then if you have time, obviously you can go out in downtown um and you know, explore downtown a little bit. But when you come back on, you have to come back through gate one. Um, and you have to make sure you have your ID and make sure just to have, just to be safe, just have that permit to report copy of uh that letter with you as well.

SPEAKER_01 21:19

Absolutely. Uh uh Mr. Skofi, you got any uh favorite places on the yard that you'd encourage people to check out and and go uh get a reprieve from the sun and pop into some air conditioning?

SPEAKER_00 21:30

Well, yeah, I mean that's that's the big that's the big thing is that the day starts so early. It's not just you know the report time of 7 a.m. or 6 a.m. I think like the latest time is 9 a.m. and and I always used to think like those dudes got it best, you know, because you're getting there at the very end. By the time you're getting through all the stations, people are done, you know, like trying to be hardo on you. You know, you're you're getting you're getting right through the whole. Thing, you've got the least amount of time. Um, you know, but for parents, you know, you could be up at like 5 a.m. that day, and and and by the time you get to 7:30 or 8 a.m., you you've you've already gone through an incredibly emotional experience and you got 10 hours left until the oath. You know, so yeah, I I I do see, and particularly with how warm it is to Lori's point, it it's a hard thing to fill that day. And I and I would recommend, you know, like right after it happens, go back and chill. You know, go go to your hotel and and and have the emotions and and deal with it and lay down and get cool, and and you can come back out at noon and pick out your spot on um on stribbling walk. And then I would I would recommend just kind of walking walking the yard. You know, that's what's great. That's what makes this place so much different than the Air Force Academy in West Point, is that you can truly walk the experience um you know of your mid. And I know that a lot of parents want to like walk around and get pictures of their mids. And you know, I'll let Lori talk about the amazing programs we have in place to get photos of your mids throughout plead summer. But you know, just I I would I would just soak in, you know, and and this probably isn't a lot of people's first time getting here, but I would soak in every building, you know, hey, Michelson and Chauvin Hall, what are those? Well, you have this little device called an iPhone, like walk through your own little virtual tour and hey, what classes are held here? And and that way you're kind of getting into the experience of it. And then I I would always recommend, and you know, not that we're gonna make news on this podcast, but we're talking about a live Sing Second podcast, the Alumni Association podcast. And if Grant is in town, um we were gonna do something from uh Annapolis's best bourbon bar, uh Drydy5, on the day of I Day. So yeah, somewhere around like 1 to 2 p.m. Um if you want to get out of the sun, you know, get some lunch, you know, and hear from us, we can be walking people through a live I Day uh session, you know, of what's going on. But yeah, I mean, I I would just recommend definitely a little bit of a siesta in the middle of the day there. You can't be on the yard all day. You can't. You'll run out of gas and then you're emotionally and physically spent because of the heat and and the and the fullness of the day.

SPEAKER_02 24:29

Yeah. And then one thing I want to point out too is that a lot of parents try to wait outside like the mid-store or wait outside alumni, the back of alumni hall to wait to see if they're mid when they're when they're in their you know, they're whites, they're summer white. I mean, not summer whites, they're working whites. The white work, the work echoes. Yeah, trying to wait to get that picture, and it's like you're not gonna get the best picture. You're your kids gonna be telling, you know, being have trying to listen to what's the next thing to be, where to be, just gonna be listening. Like it, it's it you're gonna spend a lot of time and a lot of energy trying to get that one little visual that you'll see for like a snap, and and uh, like I said, it's a long day. And so I I mean, I'm not saying don't do it, but it could just be a lot of time wasted and when you could be doing other things like resting and preparing because the Oath of Octopus is gonna be a very emotional time too. And um so yeah, just keep keep that in mind. And um there's something else I was gonna say about that with the um oh we we probably might might already ask me about this, but um at three o'clock there will be a briefing from the superintendent and the commandant um to all parents. So I recommend taking making sure you put that on your schedule. It's only about it's only gonna be about 45 minutes long. They'll he'll go, he and um the commandant will go over um just kind of like this is plebe summer, this is what you can expect. They'll go over some really interesting statistics about the class as a whole, um, like where they're from and nationalities and all kinds of um very statistics. So put time on your schedule. Starts at I think it starts at three, doors open at 2.30. Um you will everyone, there'll be plenty of seating, but if you there's a group of you that y'all want to sit together, maybe just go get get in there at 2.30 and grab your seats.

SPEAKER_00 26:14

Two two things to follow up on. And I think this is the soup's first eye day, right? It is Grant and and Lori, this will be this soup's first eye day. So it'll be very interesting to see how he puts his stamp on this. I I I echo what Lori said. Do not miss that brief.

SPEAKER_01 26:29

Yeah. Uh look, uh I'll tell you, the United States Naval Academy might turn into the United States Marine Corps Academy real quick. You you'll get it, you'll get a fun brief. Um but no, just to double down two things, Lori, they brought up, I think again, really appreciate that. And those are good conversation topics. One thing that I want to tell parents is there is not like a standard amount of time of how long it takes to get processed through everything that's happening in alumni hall. You don't know whether your son or daughter needs additional immunizations or things that are happening on, or an additional screening happens, or they can't figure out the uniforms and they get held back. Like, I can't sit here and tell you, like, oh, after you drop your kid off, it'll be two and a half hours. And if you wait by here, you're gonna stay like we got we got no idea. Or we got no idea. And so when it comes to that, if you do want to wait out there where you see all the midshipmen walking out underneath the academic buildings, like by the mid store and processing, like you can. There's just there's just no guarantee, right? Like you could just be just gonna stand in the sun for two and a half hours and never get a glimpse of your mid, or you could. That's that's your personal choice, that's a trade-off. But I'm again, what we're saying here is like there's no way to guarantee it or game the system and like perfectly find this the slot of time to get there. Um,

How Parents Fill The Long Day

SPEAKER_01 27:47

it's not gonna happen. Um the second thing, go to that, go to that brief. I'm sitting here telling you, go to that brief with the superintendent of comdot. Because as much as I love this platform, as much as I love getting to talk to all of you, as much as I love to get to share my perspective and hopefully help you understand the context of the Naval Academy and this experience, I'm I'm not the guy. He's the guy. If you want, if you want real information about like what pleep summer is gonna be that year, what his mission, what his commander's objective is for the pleeps, like you listen to him. My again, my goal is just to help assist, provide context, but like I'm not the guy. Like the the Naval Academy is the Naval Academy, and you have an opportunity to sit and listen to the superintendent, the commandant, and likely the officer in charge of plebe summer tell you what the summer is gonna be. And like, you need to listen to them. Like, and again, and listen to them via the permit to report package. That's why, like, I'm telling you off the bat, like that is the thing you listen to because that is what is coming from Naval Academy actual. Like, we're gonna talk so much about entities, we're gonna talk a lot about responsibilities, this platform Academy Insider, which hopefully again helps you understand what's going on. But like when we talk about what's happening at the Naval Academy or like what's going to go on, those are the opportunities you need to find is when word comes from the Naval Academy and the actual leadership at the Naval Academy. And so, like, go to that brief. Go to that brief.

SPEAKER_02 29:18

And one thing that brief will tell the parents, and this is probably the number one reason probably why you want to be there, is they'll share with you the dates and times of when those first phone calls home will be.

SPEAKER_00 29:28

Yep. Got it. Well, it you know, for me, it it reaffirms how special the place is. You know, I I've dropped kids at Temple University and University of Oregon. And I don't remember the president of the university talking to me when I dropped them off, you know, and and this is again part of the unique concierge that that exists here. Um, you know, the access that you have, not only to the president of the university, in that case, the superintendent, but also to the dean of students, the commandant, um, to the director of admissions or dean of admissions, you know, just to the entirety of the process. And it starts when you're standing in line dropping your kid off. This isn't just some like, hey, you know, without personality process of drop them off at this time, and that's it. We've got all the chaplains out there and the football team coach, you know, it was a great thing that I really loved about Chuck Ladchuk and Ken Niamatololo and now, you know, Brian Newberry and Michael Kelly is that they're out there greeting parents. You know, you are getting access to an amazing amount of leadership here at the Naval Academy. And to hear from the superintendent for this brief, to have that access to these levels of of leadership and buy-in here, you know, you're just you're walking around a gold mine. You you just all you have to do is reach out and grab it. So don't miss those briefs.

SPEAKER_01 30:57

Um, you may need a little pick-me-up if you want to stay on the yard, and this is actually a qu a question a little bit to maybe the both of you, and if we don't know either, that's okay. The coffee shop that's in Nimitz, the library, um, is that open to the public? Like, could a could families go and get an iced coffee midday, or would they have to go to 1845 or off the yard?

SPEAKER_00 31:19

I doubt that joint is open during non-academic year times. I I highly doubt that because like who else is in Nimitz in the summer? Now you have summer school guys. Um, but yeah, we can take that for action. I can I can find that out from NABSD. But uh that would be that would be the scam right there is to get into get into Nimitz and get a get a macchiato and just look out the window on the Severn. Like, hello. Right.

SPEAKER_02 31:46

But there will be there's the mid-store coffee shop, which is 1845, and then they have the one near gate three. So there'll be um many options for that early morning drop-off to go grab some coffee. Love it.

SPEAKER_00 31:58

There we go. Uh there's one of those coffee joints in Rickover now. In Rickover? In Rickover, down in the basement near one of the like the tow tanks. Oh, there's Johnson's getting soft stranded. Soft. Soft as a loaf of bread. Soft as a loaf of bread. Hey, I'll tell you what.

SPEAKER_01 32:16

If you if you're having class in Rickover, you're gonna need that coffee though, because that's that's sleep material right there, dude. Of course, in boats or nuclear engineering, yeah. I'm uh I'm I I need to stay awake in that thing.

SPEAKER_00 32:29

We talk, we talk a lot about all the nutrition centers that the alumni association has been so critical to around the yard, but man, there are coffee, there are more baristas on the yard than there are gunnery sergeants.

SPEAKER_01 32:42

The midshipmen are very well caffeinated, and both help you stay awake, I'll tell you what. Yeah. Oh my goodness. Yeah, when you mentioned show uh Chauvin and Michelson too, I was like, you're you're bringing them to all the classrooms that I just never want to be back in, dude. That chemistry, calculus, physics, uh like all your math and science classes are right there in those two buildings. Like, keep me over in uh in Mahane over there and all the yeah, you want to be in the S3 world.

SPEAKER_00 33:09

Yeah, yeah. Everyone wants S3.

SPEAKER_01 33:12

Oh my goodness. All right.

Oath Of Office And Final Meetup

SPEAKER_01 33:15

Um, so we talked, uh, I'm glad we kind of went went through some of these things. Uh, will there be a parent briefing or tracking on that? Oath of office ceremony. Okay. So for the oath of office ceremony, two things that I want to touch on, and Lori touched on this already, right? Is after that completes, and we'll talk a little bit about like what will happen during the oath of office ceremony, but once that completes, they will get the the like the plebes will get, what is it, 20 minutes, 20, 30 minutes to kind of regroup um like with their families for the last time in a short amount of time. It is very important that like you guys know where to meet each other. And this goes back to like potentially using the day before saying, we are going to meet here when you get dismissed. So that way we're like, we're going to the right spot and we find each other to kind of have that last moment. Um what's really cool is for plebes that don't have families there, there will also be individuals like on Stribling Walk who are there to like to be that for you. Volunteers that are around, local sponsor families that are around, like different people will be in the center. Um if you have no one, because basically they will line up in their company order after that to like march into Bancroft Hall once the oath of office ceremony is done. Um and now we've used this term oath of office ceremony about seven times in the past minute. Uh, do we mind running down like what is actually taking place in the oath of office ceremony and like what parents are gonna witness happening?

SPEAKER_02 34:50

Um I haven't been, I honestly be working eye day every year. By the time they get to the oath of office, I'm like, I'm how it's so hot, like we need to clear it. Um, so I really only have my most recent experience has been watching it live stream. Um but it you so you guys can probably add way more to it than I can.

SPEAKER_01 35:10

Don't speak off with me, big dog.

SPEAKER_02 35:14

I hate to I go to the briefing.

SPEAKER_00 35:16

Sorry to put you on the spotlight.

SPEAKER_02 35:17

That's my point.

SPEAKER_00 35:18

Lori's keeping it real. She's like, I have an Aperol spritz in my hand. I'm making my way to the cabinet at that point.

SPEAKER_01 35:25

I don't know it, I'll find out, sir. Very good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm too busy, too busy sipping.

SPEAKER_00 35:30

Well, I mean, I I'll I'll rescue this a little bit, you know, particularly from our standpoint uh as an alumni association and foundation, in that that oath of office is when you officially become an alumni, you know, and and again, this is I'm gonna foot stomp this every single time I get this microphone, you know, but that's what differentiates us from you know West Point and the Air Force Academy is that the second you take the oath on I Day, you become an alumnus. Whereas an alumni at um at uh West Point and Air Force, you know, requires graduation. So, you know, the the oath is very simply the you know a ceremonial way of doing the official you know administrivia of bringing in someone into the military. It involves taking an oath to defend you know the Constitution. It's a very set uh set of words that happens when someone first enters the service or when someone is promoted or when someone is re-enlisted. You re-assert your oath, you know, to get religious. It's almost like reasserting your baptismal vows or whatever. You know, we we do this a lot because it's at the fabric of what we do. And and so that is for me, you know, the the the moment, the one that you don't want to miss, you know, and and I know that it it's really impossible to get a picture of your kid, but but the idea of your kid with their right hand up and the words that they're saying and the impact that those words have, you know, that's really for me as a parent where I would lose it, you know, and I know that a lot of parents do, you know, that's the thing. You have officially done what you do, a great ancillary benefit, you know, to doing what you're supposed to do is that now you're an alumni and you are afforded all of the benefits, you know, including the amazing things that Lori does every day.

unknown 37:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:22

Love it. Nothing to add, right? Like, and this will be led by the superintendent as well, and you're gonna be going through this. It's it's an incredibly cool, again, it's it's iconic, right? It's very picturesque of like what all this stuff is happening. Um, you know, that that whole stretch of oath of office followed by meeting with your midshipmen and then the the like processing back in and marching back into Bancroft Hall. Again, I I I usually tell people, and I like to joke, like, plebe summer really, really starts. Like the moment you walk in and the doors of Bancroft Hall slam behind the last midshipman who walks in, it like it will be thunderous. Like there will be a boom that you hear when those doors slam shut. Um and it's again, it'll be emotional. Like it might not feel cool in the moment, it might feel like terrifying for you as a parent, but like when you look back on it, that hour-long stretch is one of the coolest things that you will probably experience. And that's why it goes back to the overarching advice of the day, I think, which is be ready for that, right? Like, be ready for the superintendent brief that's gonna start in the late afternoon and be ready to go through there. So, like, take the late morning for what you need of it, whether that's a nap, whether that's sitting in air conditioning, whatever, whatever the case is, like you want to be prepared for that moment, right? You want to be prepared for that moment.

SPEAKER_02 38:42

Uh and you know, and and just also one thing I want to point out, only because these are questions that I commonly get from parents. And I I can scratch the surface um with information, but uh really if you want like detailed, like very good detailed information, go to those parent club welcome awards. Go to like reach out to your parent club because they've all been through this. They can they can we're speaking from like our level, which is like we work around the academy, we've been around for a long time, and these are our experiences anecdotally, but these from a parent's point of view, you're gonna get a whole different feel. So that's why I I really encourage you to do reach out to that parent club. But um, but one thing is that the question I get is are they gonna be fed like when they get dropped off? Like they'll give them snacks and stuff throughout the day, they'll give them sandwiches, they're gonna they're not gonna go starving. Um, and then when they when those doors do close, like Rand said, they will have um meal with their with their class in King Hall. Um there is an opportunity to buy like one of those box lunches. I think they're calling it mess kit now, and they're advertising it. Um sure, I would say if if you have a kid that's like a an eater and like gonna be insatiable, like go ahead, grab that. And that it gives you an

Food Tips Photos And The Door Slam

SPEAKER_02 39:55

opportunity to sit down, kind of get them to unwind a little bit, have a s have them like a sandwich, a couple bites of something, kind of picnic together, and then when they do the final march into Bancroft Hall, they're well fed, they're taken care of.

SPEAKER_01 40:08

Straight straight to meal, straight to starting.

SPEAKER_00 40:10

I would recommend, you know, um, what is your kids' favorite food, you know, and and you know, is is it like do they have a favorite cupcake or a a favorite cookie or or something that you just want that last memory before that big metal door slams, you know, is that available to them? But also be ready for them to have been so worked that the thought of like eating something, you know, is just too emotional because you're about to say goodbye, you've just had to navigate a full day without your phone, which again, like we can't discount like the sociological impact of taking a phone away from this generation for that long of a period of time. Um, you know, so accommodate for that and and you know, just make sure that whatever you have there for that for that moment of time, you know, is is something that really leaves them with a good memory uh until you see them again on uh plea parents weekend. And I will add that a great thing for the class of 2030 parents, the last 18 months have seen Memorial Hall and the uh steps going up into the rotunda under construction. That is now done. I was just in there the other day, it looks amazing. So you're gonna get the traditional metal door closure. And you know, now for future you know visitors, memorial hall is open again.

SPEAKER_02 41:32

Yeah, and um, pro tip, also don't I wouldn't recommend buying any red Gatorade or any red drinks when you go meet up with them because they don't they won't drink it because they don't want to spill anything on that white correctly, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:44

John, when you were talking about cupcakes and stuff, I was like, Yeah, that may be yummy, but like you you're gonna be nervous about spilling on your uniform. You don't want to be the clean walking in to start this start everything off with a little schmutz on your uh like go go to the the link in my storefront here to get your tide pens as well. Let me get the Austillion marketing on that one, dude. Bring some tide pens and shower wipes with you just in case. Uh just in case, man. Um, all of the above. On a separate note, um, this has nothing to do with the podcast episode, you just talk about it. Uh uh a friend of mine, this book, it's called The Call I Almost Missed. Uh somebody went 365 days without a cell phone, like in this modern world, and kind of like talked about it. And a bunch of that is like that first, you know, first couple of days and first weeks of like going where you know you're not gonna have your phone and you don't have your phone and like the psychological um addictions that we have to it nowadays, right? And so, like, that's a very real thing that you're that you're talking about. Um, also a phenomenal book in case anyone wants to read it. It's like Tommy Short. So anyway, uh yeah, I'll definitely get that. It's uh it's a it's a cool one. John, you'll get the you'll get a kick out of this too. Again, I know him through officiating. Uh, he was a long time like big Big 12 official, worked FIBA, um, you know, has been on the floor with the USA team and everything. It was like a super cool dude. Um probably get a good kick out of the book, honestly. I I know I would. All

What The Alumni Association Actually Does

SPEAKER_01 43:15

right. Well, we're gonna shift a little bit to um understanding entities now. That I think that kind of like wraps and concludes the day. One thing that I really wanted to make a point of, again, since there's not gonna be an alumni association picnic this year, and you guys aren't really gonna have as much an opportunity to like explain exactly what the alumni association is and the intricacies of it with how John explained it, which is like the moment you take that oath of office and you start, you are a part of it. And so there are a couple of different terms that parents will hear over these next couple of years. They're gonna hear about the alumni association, they're gonna hear about the alumni association and foundation, the foundation piece of it. They're gonna hear about the athletic association. They're Going to hear about NABSD, this Naval Academy Business and Service Division. So many terms that from the outside, it's just all one thing. And so I kind of want to help explain and use this next 10 minutes to just like explain what these entities really are. And we're going to start with the Alumni Association, because that's the two of you. And this is this is John, this is John's wheelhouse right here, talking about the Alumni Association and what we do. So I'm going to kick it to you to explain exactly what the Naval Academy Alumni Association is and how it supports midshipment.

SPEAKER_00 44:39

Yeah. In short, Grant, you know, we we do through a staff of about 104, 110 people here right across the street from the baseball stadium in Annapolis, do some very simple things for alumni, for parents, for midshipmen, and that is to better connect, communicate, support, and anchor them to the entire experience here at the Alumni Association. As a 501 nonprofit, everything we do, all monies raised, you know, are directed at the mission at the Naval Academy, either to support Naval Academy Athletics, to support uh academics, to support the Moral Mission, uh, you know, through the Stockdale Center for Leadership, across a very wide spectrum of uh portfolio items there, we support the Naval Academy. And how do you get alumni to support the U.S. Naval Academy through us? Well, you get you get that by providing programs, like I said before, like something a teeny bit more than tailgates would be nice, right? And and that's what we're doing. And I like to call it going beyond the tailgate to impactful programs like what Lori does to connect parents to information like your podcast grant, um, to having career services for alums who are getting out of the Navy or making important entrepreneurial uh entrepreneurial choices. We have you know shared interest groups, you know, for USNA women, for pride, for engineers, for uh minorities, you know, like common places for us to connect and communicate with alums. And so through these programs, uh we really do believe that we establish the reconnection, you know, for alumni back to the banks of the severn, from IHTFP, which is definitely a thing, which definitely used to be a thing and is always gonna be a thing, to you know what? Although I IHTFP'd that place, it also gave me the tools that I needed to be successful, from the fleet to the C-suite to space and everywhere in between. That's what the Alumni Association does, is it provides these programs so that alums feel you know the the the urge to give back. And when they give back, that's when programs at the Naval Academy become even better and we create even better leaders for the nation.

SPEAKER_01 47:08

Oh that was good.

SPEAKER_00 47:11

Oh, yeah. You know, that was come on, that was right off the tip. Let's go.

SPEAKER_01 47:19

Um, along those lines, again, again, being about the fact that the alumni association is not only gonna help um, you know, mid chipman, mid shimmon families, all this stuff while they're at the academy, but beyond, I there again, I think sometimes, again, this idea of alumni association in so many people's brains really always goes back to like it only impacts or it only matters once they've graduated, like once they're out in the fleet and all this stuff. But the reality is the alumni association and foundation does so much for current midshipmen. And so along those lines, if there are parents out there who want to support the efforts of the alumni association, what can they do? Is it donations? Is it signing up for programs and memberships? Like, what would you want families to remember about this entity and how they can support?

SPEAKER_00 48:08

Well, I mean, that's Lori's wheelhouse right there.

SPEAKER_02 48:11

Well, I would say, you know, we encourage parents to become members. I know there are things parents probably thinking, like, well, I'm I'm not an alumni, why should I join? But we uh we support that parent communic community. Just like John said, you know, that connection, that support, that communication, um, we provide that to the parents. Um, we help, we foster the the um the spreading of information whenever we can. And the best way for me to do that on in my role specifically is through parent clubs. Um we support those parent clubs. We um we have we help them, we try to encourage them with their membership and and doing events and um providing any support that we can to get them to um to operate effectively. And those parent clubs really are like a lifeline to parents. Yes. And um and I I'm one person that works for the alumni association, and you know, the Naval Academy has of if you think about there's 4,000 kids there and two parents for every kid, you know, we're talking 8,000

Parent Clubs Membership And Photo Program

SPEAKER_02 49:10

parents. I'm one person. The the best source of information for parents truly is through those parent clubs. So I do whatever I can on my end to kind of just to help support them, keep them going, keep them providing this service to parents. Um, we also have, you know, if you join as a member, you the biggest thing we we offer, probably the biggest benefit, um, is the photo program. Yeah. Um there's other, there's there's other, like I know there's another photo program that parents can purchase into. We we have ours. We're um we kind of run ours like um proof of life. You know, we we want to provide you as many photographs as you possibly can to make sure you have an opportunity to see your kid when when they're doing their summer training. Um, and that's a huge benefit. I mean, last sleep summer, I think we had uh upwards of 70,000 photos that we uploaded. And these photos, once they're uploaded and you're a member and you can access them, you can just they're yours. You can download them, you can print them, you can do whatever you want. Um, you may see a photo that you don't like, and maybe you know they're sweaty and they don't look like they're very happy. You know, you can just delete it if you want. But um, so we we provide that service. We also have, as a member, as a parent member, they get um this the shipmate, our magazine, they get subscription to that. Um they'll also we have member rates for different events. For example, for the Army Navy game, we have we always have a bus. We have buses that provide um transportation from Annapolis to whether it's at even in New York or if it's at um in Philadelphia, we'll have we have member pricing for events like that. We do watch parties, we have um just various events that we have in Annapolis throughout the year that there that members can get um special pricing for. Um and it's just it's just just staying connected with the community, essentially, is what that is, what what we do for parents at the Alumni Association.

SPEAKER_01 50:57

Well, 100%. I and look, I I like to always tell this story because for anyone who who knows my journey, obviously I didn't make my parents feel very good via letters and phone calls home, uh, actively kind of ruined their life every time I told them how miserable I was. Um, but a lot of times it really was the photo program that like saved their life. Because even after like four or five days after this terrible phone call, they might have seen a picture of me. And it wasn't like I was smiling, it wasn't like I was like uh happy, but at least I wasn't dead, right? Like at least I wasn't like gone, right? And um, and and and that proof of life, again, that's real, right? Like the the assurance there in that world, and again, in the Naval Academy world, no news is good news. And so if you're not hearing anything, uh we're all we're all tracking, right? Like we're continuing to move forward and things are good. And uh again, I I got my I got my most recent uh copy of Shit May right here. Uh like we're always coming, so lots of good, lots of good via um, you know, the membership.

SPEAKER_00 51:59

And one thing that's I've got the brand new one that hasn't even hit the uh mailboxes yet.

SPEAKER_01 52:05

Let's see the exclusive right now.

SPEAKER_00 52:08

Oh, there you go. We're making news, making news.

SPEAKER_02 52:12

Yeah. And and I'll you know, back to the photo program too. Um I think that probably one of the biggest benefits that parents will have, not not so much proof of life. I mean, I kind of make a joke about that, but um, because you you may see there there may be a uh some photos of your son or daughter's company and you don't see them doesn't mean that they're not that they're not well or that it just it's just maybe the photographer didn't have a chance to get, you know, whatever, for whatever reason. Sometimes they get really busy and the details are like, all right, enough photos, like you're good, you know, we need to get them moving on to the next thing. But um the one thing I will say is that we we try to do our uploads like not necessarily real time, but like within 24 hours. And we typically upload like Monday through Friday. It's a really good glimpse for a parent to see what their kid's doing each day. Like, you know, you'll see them that they'll be pictures on the e-course. Well, the next time you see them, that company's not gonna be on the e-course, they might be on the O course, or they might be in sailing. So it gives you a really good glimpse of uh just the training that they're doing day to day. Yeah, and you can see that not only through your mids um or your plebes company, but you can see it through the other companies as well. So it's just it's kind of gives you like a somewhat of a real-time understanding of what they're doing day to day. So that when you do talk to them on the phone, you can say, Oh yeah, I saw you, I saw your company did sailing in the day. How was it? What'd you think of that? You know, so um we we try to get as close to the day that it happened, um, but yeah, we we're we're we have a good record of of our upload um expediency. 100%.

SPEAKER_01 53:44

Uh and again, we're we're referencing a lot of uh like programs and different things that are going on. I know that there is a parent dashboard that exists in this world. Can you talk a little bit about the parent dashboard and then lead that into our final topic? I want to give you the opportunity to talk about the plea parent mixer over plea parent weekend um and how they could sign up for that via the dashboard as well.

SPEAKER_02 54:09

Yeah.

Parent Dashboard And Plebe Parent Mixer

SPEAKER_02 54:10

So, in as I mentioned earlier in the podcast, um, or as we talked about, the PTR packet, there is a section um that's for parents, um, and that will give you a link of how to get to the dashboard. But I'll say it right here. It's www.usna.com backslash PTR. In fact, I don't even think you have to do www anymore, but it's usna.com backslash ptr. And that will bring you to a page where you'll have to register um with us. So you'll have to provide your name, um, cup a couple other little details, and you'll have to establish a login and a password. And you'll have to wait 24 hours, you'll get an email back that will say, okay, thank you for registering. You can go in your accounts live. And it's our way of just making sure that you are a parent and we can vet you, and that it's not just some like random that's trying to get in and wants to go to all these parent events or um, but uh so you have that 24-hour wait period, you go back in, you can then you can add more details to your profile, like you know, who your midshipment is, what class year, all those kind of little details that help establish your profile. And then from there is a checklist. And none of it's required from there, um, but you have the opportunity to join as a member, which essentially is joining the photo program or getting access to the photo program. Um, you'll have an opportunity to um register for the plea parent mixer, which I'll go into detail about, and you'll have an opportunity to learn about philanthropy. Um, or have an op, you'll learn about philanthropy in this in this podcast, but you'll have an opportunity to kind of get more deeper into if that's something that you're interested in doing. Um but so big thing is register, wait that 24-hour period. When you get that email saying, like, yep, you're good, go back in, set up your profile a little more in depth, sign up for membership if that's what you choose. Um photo program. And then definitely this is not um, there's no fee. It's it's our it's our event that we're hosting, welcoming parents for free to the Plea Parent Mixer. And it's that Thursday, um, right before Parents Weekend, and it takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, August 6th, um, right before that evening meal formation. So we know parents want to get there and they want to see that formation. They want to get there by six o'clock and see all that. Um, this is before that, and this is our this is such a great, great event for parents. Last year was our first year doing it. The feedback was phenomenal because what it is, it's an opportunity for parents to come to our we're inviting you to our house essentially at the Flugal Alumni Center. We're just welcoming you, and this is your chance to go and meet other parents of um pleagues that are in your kids, your classmates, their classmates. And we have identifiers with name tags that say where you're from and what company, and that way you can kind of connect with other parents, um, either from your region, from their their company, different some are in drum drum and bugle, some their sports, you know, just making those connections with all those parents. It's such a fun, it's a relaxing night. We have food, there's a bar, um, and it's just it's a it's a great, great event. And I I can't I can't encourage you enough. It's just our way of welcoming you to our community. Um, and we'd love for you to join us.

SPEAKER_01 57:30

Yeah, I love it. That thank you for explaining it. And uh, you know, I know John dropped earlier that you know there may be a live pod during I Day, uh, which yes, I would like to accept the invitation to that. I'm gonna be out there for my boy Wirth Smith's wedding, oh class of 15, uh, anyway, get married down on Saturday in Annapolis, which I'm stoked about.

SPEAKER_00 57:49

Worth has been on Sing Second. We I mean this is this is a return engagement. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 57:55

Um, so I'll definitely be there. And then uh as well, uh I I I intend to be at the Plea Parent mixer as well. Again, as long as that's okay with you guys and the alumni association. But uh, you know, I plan on being at both events as well. So again, if I I encourage you to go regardless, but if there's an opportunity for, you know, us to engage as well and get an opportunity to meet you at the, you know, right before the start of Plea Parents Weekend, I'd love that opportunity to meet as many of you face to face as well. Um, and so that will be incredible. Um both you guys, thank you so much for taking the time uh to do this. We are going to uh jump to an interview with uh with uh uh a representative from both the alum, like the actual foundation side, the philanthrop philanthropy side, as well as the athletic association after this. Um, but this will wrap up our portion of the podcast with John and Lori. So, both of you, thank you so much for taking the time to like again sit down and explain everything and give back and provide a little insight into eye day preparation for all the parents. Thanks for what you do, Grant. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_02 59:03

Thank you. Thank you for getting the word out there too.

SPEAKER_01 59:05

You guys are the best. Any any last words, any parting thoughts for this incoming uh plebe class of parents?

SPEAKER_02 59:13

Just sit back, relax, enjoy the ride.

SPEAKER_00 59:16

Yeah, get get out of your kids' way, make it all about them, and uh come see us at Driety5, one to two, uh, you know, on I Day before the soups brief at three. It'll make it uh part of a great day.

SPEAKER_01 59:30

I love it. Can't wait. See you all there. Thank y'all so much, and we're gonna jump to the next portion of the interview.

Navy Athletics Explained And Funding Myths

SPEAKER_01 59:36

All right, so now that you have heard sufficiently from John and Laura, I'm so excited to have Kayla from the Naval Academy Athletic Association joining us today with an opportunity to explain this entity as it relates to supporting midshipmen as well and what they do for everyone in Annapolis. And so, Kayla, first of all, thank you so much for taking the time to join us today. If you don't mind just giving a little bit of background about you, how you ended up in Annapolis in your current role with the Athletic Association.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:07

Sure. And Grant, thanks so much for having me. Um, this is honestly one of my favorite parts of the year and one of my favorite conversations to be a part of because plebe summer is such a huge moment for families. So I think it's helpful to have some context. So thank you for including us in this. Um, but again, Kayla Giddish, I work here at Navy Athletics. So um I started here in August of 22. Um, so coming up on almost four years here, um, primarily I work in our athletic development office. So working with alumni and donors and parents and friends on how they can connect with Navy athletics and give back um and learn all the things about, you know, Army Navy football and other exciting initiatives we have. Um but prior to here, I had a stint up in uh New York City. So I worked at St. John's University in Queens. And then prior to that was at UMBC in Baltimore, Maryland. And then uh was also at uh the University of South Carolina in Ohio State. Um, but love it here in Annapolis and are so grateful to be a part of this amazing organization. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:14

And for all of the parents who may be listening, right again, we just had a long conversation with the alumni association. How is the Naval Academy Athletic Association different? Or even is it? Like, what is the Naval Academy Athletic Association and how is it related to these greater, like overarching organizations?

SPEAKER_04 1:01:36

That's a great question. I think one that we honestly even get from alumni um and people who have been around for a while. So I'm glad we have this platform to kind of walk through this. Um, so so the the Naval Academy Um Athletic Association, so we are a we are a separate 501c3, um, but we we are here on the yard. Um our athletic director, Michael Kelly, is responsible for all 36 of our varsity sports, over 1,400 midshipmen. Um so we see ourselves as part of the Naval Academy and partners with the Alumni Association and Foundation, but but a different entity. Um so our charge, uh, like I said, is the physical mission. Um so overseeing all of those varsity sports, um almost 32% of the brigade are actually student athletes here. So there's a huge percentage of those listening here that have a son or daughter who are in that boat. Um, and we also have some involvement with club sports as well. Um so it is it's a separate um entity, um, but like I said previously, we all work together um towards the same mission, which is commissioning these young men and women um to go out and be leaders in the fleet and the core.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:46

Yeah, no, absolutely. And you mentioned that, like the again, the mission specifically for y'all is supporting the athletic side, the physical mission of the Naval Academy and again the varsity and club sport programs. How do you do that? Like, are we quite literally talking about financial resources? Are we talking about like uh paying coaches, facilities? Like, can you give us scope of like because I again from my perspective, and it's always my favorite thing, like reading comments on Instagram, like shout out to um our women's lacrosse team and all this stuff, like all the highlights on ESPNW and all these things, like absolutely crushing it. But my favorite comments are like, I love seeing my taxpayer dollars go to this. And I think people assume that like all of the sports are covered under maybe like the the the Navy budget or the Department of Navy budget. And I don't know that's actually the case. And so I'd love for you to kind of get an opportunity to talk about what the Athletic Association is doing in support of midshipment.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:40

Absolutely. And that is another one of the biggest, I think, misnomers we hear is I see that all the time too. Like, oh, my tax dollars go to Navy athletics and Navy football and lacrosse and and everything. And it's like, it actually doesn't. Um, so we are 96% self-funded. So what that means is through um donations, uh through ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, um, you know, ticket and TV revenue, we are self-sufficient essentially. So every dollar that we we raise, we spend towards that physical development of midshipment here at the Naval Academy. Um, so whether it's you know, the men's and women's soccer team, or if it's you know, men's and women's lacrosse, coaches, salaries, facilities, everything you see that touches Navy athletics is thanks to the generosity of parents and friends and donors and alumni, along with those corporate and other entities I had mentioned earlier. Um but I do think people don't know that. I think they see Navy athletics, they hear Naval Academy, and they think that the government pays for it when in reality um it's us. Like it's it's a self-sufficient business for us. So um, you know, we're we're honored to be a small part of the mission of the academy. But I think that is important for, you know, especially parents, when they're like, what does this do? How does this impact, you know, my meds experience or the Naval Academy at large? I think that's important to note.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:03

Yeah. I'm 1,000%, right? Again, it's funny because, like you're saying, even midshipmen, even grads, even all that I think we like, we don't really get it. Like, again, it's part of our world and you just get it, but like the actual flow of dollars or understanding the business side or understanding how the things come to be, and like we're able to have like the most Division I sports uh of universities across the country and have additional club sports that provide travel, that allow for movement orders, that allow to go compete to like all these different things in support of the greater physical mission. Again, like obviously I'm biased because I was a varsity athlete and like I am an athlete at heart, but it's it's such great leadership development. It's such great personal development, it's such great human development to be a part of a high performing

How Parents Support Navy Athletics

SPEAKER_01 1:05:50

team, to be a part of like an elite team and compete at a high level. And so again, I think that's really again, it's it's really cool and it's incredible. And I'm just so grateful for you like experience. Explaining how this may work. And for all the parents out there who are then listening and being like, oh, snap, like it would be us that kind of helped do this. How would parents be involved, learn more? What can they do to support? Is it donations? Are there memberships? What kind of how would a parent go about supporting the overall Athletic Association mission?

SPEAKER_04 1:06:22

I would recommend two main, I'll call them buckets for lack of a better term right now, or two different funds. So the best way for parents to support the physical mission and to support Navy athletics is through two avenues. It's through our blue and gold funds and our fund for athletic excellence. So both of those funds support Navy athletics. So it goes to those 36 varsity sports, those 1,400 midshipmen varsity student athletes. And I think for parents too, there's a lot around Army Navy and Navy home football games where both of those funds also have benefits that are associated with it. So I would recommend parents go to our website. So go to NavySports.com. There's actually a drop down that says donate. Underneath that, you'll see both of those buckets, the blue and gold and fund for athletic excellence. Now, I can already hear and see parents saying, okay, like what's the difference? Um, and and really the difference lies in the varying levels of support and then the benefits tied to those levels. Um I would recommend them going on our website, taking a look at both. There's lots of things on there. There's Army Navy tickets, which I know everyone's probably already asking, how do I get tickets?

SPEAKER_01 1:07:36

It's always that's the way to do it.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:38

Yes, it everyone's I mean, that's one of the best parts is being able to attend that game and experience that amazing tradition. So um, that would be my recommendation for parents listening to this is to go there, um, take a look at both funds. Our blue and gold fund starts at $50 and goes up to $2,500, whereas our fund for athletic excellence is our next step up philanthropically, starts at $2,500 and goes all the way up to our $50,000 and above. Um, but again, it's they're they're great, great funds and they go to support a really important mission, of course.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:12

100%. Uh 1,000%. And again, I I personally uh as well contribute to these. I just I'm a firm believer in again, the Naval Academy in general, but especially the Naval Academy athletic mission and the Naval Academy physical mission. I think these things are critical to the development of the young men and women who are going through the process. I I just I'm a firm believer in the power of sport and the power of competition, the power of teamwork, um, and everything y'all are doing is in support of that and giving these young men and women uh you know the experience and exposure to those things and the opportunity to grow and develop. So um super grateful for all of that. For parents who may be coming to I Day, if they uh is is there gonna be any presence uh from the athletic association uh at large during iDay? And and if so, or if not, or maybe they don't have the ability to like actually meet somebody in person, where would you encourage them or direct them to go to continue to learn more about you guys and your mission?

SPEAKER_04 1:09:14

Absolutely. So we do plan to have um a booth or a table at the expo to ask questions, you know, learn, learn more about these funds, learn more about tickets and season tickets and Army Navy tickets, because I know there's a lot of questions that surround that. So um our teams will have staff uh at that table to help answer questions. And then also going to Navysports.com, not just that donate section, just to learn more about how to give and those benefits, but we also have a ticket section as well. So if you go to that portion of our website, there's also information on how to get in touch with our ticket office, how to learn more, um, you know, how to learn about Army Navy. We play Notre Dame annually, which is up in um up at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. So it'll be a fun Halloween this year for that game. Uh, but that's definitely, I think, the next best place to learn more if they're not able to attend in person on I Day. Sweet.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:09

Thank you. And again, oh, I know this is uh a quick interview, so again, I appreciate it. Any last parting thoughts or anything that you would want family to leave families with uh about what to remember about the Athletic Association or just kind of any parting thoughts about the Naval Academy physical mission?

SPEAKER_04 1:10:29

I just think it's it's knowing.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:34

We're gonna edit this part.

unknown 1:10:36

Sorry.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:38

Um let me think of the best way to explain this. Um okay. I think I'm ready now. All right.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:49

We just pause and then and then go when you go, because I'll I'll just have the editor just like put it right back in.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:56

Perfect. So I think the best way for parents to get involved and to know more once they leave this this podcast, um, is just like we mentioned earlier, just knowing that the support um for Navy athletics and the physical mission is really truly self-funded. So every dollar that they give um your money is being you know put towards a great use that's going towards the physical mission and preparing these young men and women as they you know complete their four years at the Naval Academy. Um, but really honestly just asking questions, reaching out to our staff. Um, we are here all the time wanting to answer anything that you have about tickets and donations. Um, you know, we have staff that are on hands almost oh, shoot. Okay, sorry, Grant.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:39

You're totally fine. Totally, totally fine.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:42

I'm trying to think, what do you think I'm gonna ask you this question, what do you think is a good like for a good thing for them to take away from this?

SPEAKER_01 1:11:51

Yeah, no, I I I love it again. I think um just doubling down, which you did, which is exactly like again, I just encourage people to realize that like the Navy is not paying for this, right? Like, yeah, yeah, we thrive and we survive, honestly, on the on the support of family members and again, general fans of Navy sports who contribute to our ability to run these programs, right? It is like kind of my thought. Again, I would love for it was the same thing with the alumni association. Like the Navy just give the alumni association your information. Like, if you want to be a part of this, you want to be a part of resources, you want to get access to these things, like you got to be proactive and reach out or donate and lead to it. And so I think that's the overall mission I'd love to get to is just like, yeah, again, I would just love to leave you guys with the fact that like we need your support, right? Like, this is how this is how we operate. Like the Navy's not giving us money, right? Like, we don't have a budget for sports. Um, you know, and so that's that's my thought.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:50

Okay. Okay, perfect. So I would say the greatest takeaway from this, and for parents to take away from this conversation is just your support. That could be financially through our blue and gold fund and our athletic excellence fund we spoke about, but that could also be showing up at our football games and our lacrosse games and our basketball games and supporting our midshipmen. So I think those two things are the most critical. And again, we have staff on the ticket staff and our development side that are here anytime to answer any questions that you might have. So we are so appreciative and so excited to have your son and daughter here and look forward to seeing you in person in the near future. Heck yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:27

Well, Kayla, thank you so much uh for taking the time to explain all this stuff again. It's so funny. The amount of times I've gone through this and realized I don't actually understand how it works uh is pretty consistent. So I appreciate you taking the time to be here with us and explain all of this. Um, everything that Kayla mentioned for the listener, everything that Kayla mentioned, we will put links to all of the Navy sports websites and information in the again, the YouTube description, the podcast, show notes, wherever you're listening or watching, um, you can just go into the description, comments, etc., and we'll have information on that. Um, and I'll also put a link to an interview that I did with Michael Kelly, the athletic director, uh, you know, who just finished his first year in Annapolis. If you want an even more in-depth rundown about the athletic department, his missions, the desire to continue to grow and support again, midshipment through Division I sport and club sport. So I encourage you to take a listen if you haven't already. Um, and you know, after this, we're gonna move on to uh another interview, one more interview with the actual alumni, uh, the foundation. Uh again, all these things, yeah. I'm telling you, like the the Naval Academy Athletic or Alumni Association and Foundation, and then you have the Athletic Association. It's just all one thing to me, but it's not. So we're uh so we're we're gonna go talk about the foundation next. But Kayla, thank you so much for the time today. Really, really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_04 1:14:48

Of course. Thank you so much again, Grant. Of course.

Naval Academy Foundation And Margin Of Excellence

SPEAKER_01 1:14:51

All right, y'all. I hope you enjoyed that conversation with Kayla from the Athletic Association. And now we're moving on to again another piece of this overall umbrella, which is the Naval Academy Foundation. And so I'm excited to be joined today by Karen, Karen Hicks of the Foundation. This is gonna be a super fun conversation for us today. Karen, if you don't mind, just giving a little bit of a background and introduction to you, how you ended up at the Naval Academy, like the overall alumni association and the foundation piece, um, and and what has brought you to this world.

SPEAKER_05 1:15:23

Fantastic. Grant, it's so great to be here. Um, I am actually a Navy wife, a Navy mom, and another, and then also a Navy mother-in-law. My husband graduated um in the year with the class of 88, and he was surface and then laterally transferred and became a special boat operator with special warfare. My son is an active duty Marine Corps signals intelligence officer. He graduated with the class of 21, and my son-in-law, Pierce, uh, graduated with the class of 19. He's a P8 pilot. So that's kind of what my background is. And uh I worked for with a family foundation for years as a fundraiser, and then our family just wanted to permanently locate in Annapolis, where my husband's got tons of classmates here locally. So um I look for a job that kind of married my passion with raising funds for something I really care about with um obviously how much I care about the Naval Academy and what it's done for the men in my life.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:22

Yeah, I love that. You're covered on all bases. All bases across the board. Um, well, yeah, I think the first thing that I would love to kind of talk about and ask about is what is the foundation, right? I think people will see this like greater, this I mean, mouthful of a title, like this Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation. And I'm, you know, we had conversations with John and Laurie about the Alumni Association and the involvement of parent clubs and all this different aspect. But what is the foundation side of this? Like, what does the Naval Academy Foundation do?

SPEAKER_05 1:16:59

Thanks for asking. Um, we are the fundraising arm for the Naval Academy. So most people, especially parents, think that um their child's education is being fully funded by government appropriations. And the truth is that there is a piece of the education which we call the margin of excellence, which is actually supported by completely philanthropic funds. The Naval Academy Foundation raises about a hundred million dollars every year for the Naval Academy. Yeah. Out of that hundred million, about fifty-two million comes in the form of cash. The rest are future dollars. Either they're part of an endowment or they're a pledge that was made, but fifty-two million dollars every year comes in the form of cash, and we send that over to the Naval Academy. A lot of it is designated for specific funds. Alumni and parents sometimes care about very specific things. But we hope and we try to get people to give to the Naval Academy Fund. It's the one fund inside the foundation which is unrestricted. Okay. And that gives us a lot of flexibility to create leadership development programs, academic enrichment. We do, we support athletics that way. So these are things that make Navy not your average college, but it really provides opportunities uh for midshipmen to experience a lot more that will help them when they become leaders in the military.

SPEAKER_01 1:18:32

Oh 1,000%. And I again, this was a fascinating conversation that we had with Kayla too. Again, uh, it's always my, I always get a kick, I'll put it this way, and I'm gonna have this conversation, get a kick out of all the comments I see on Instagram or on Facebook or all these things, like either positive or negative, but like either like, oh, I'm so glad my tax dollars are going to this, or I'm so upset, how come my tax dollars are paying for this? But and the reality is so much of this, to your point, comes from the philanthropic efforts of the foundation and the athletic association to support midshipmen. And you mentioned, you know, you have the Naval Academy fund, which is generic. Do you mind kind of outlying as well some of the like dedicated funds that exist? I know that, again, as a former cyber major, I contributed towards uh like the fund for the cyber, uh, cyber excellent or whatever it's called for the cyber building and all this stuff. Do you mind kind of providing some concrete examples of like projects that the foundation has delivered to the Naval Academy in a way that has enhanced the midshipman experience?

SPEAKER_05 1:19:32

Absolutely. There are so many. Um, so again, the Naval Academy fund is the unrestricted. But when it comes to restricted, there are so many um projects. You talked about cyber, there's um every individual sport, all of those are individual buckets. People give, if they played, like a colleague of mine played on the rugby team, he loves to give to rugby excellence or tennis excellence, but there's the Center for Academic Excellence. Um, there's international programs, every international trip that midshipmen go on, privately funded. Really? So because yeah, and because it's so complex, IPS.

SPEAKER_01 1:20:11

I had no idea that they would this was like a specifically funded through the foundation.

SPEAKER_05 1:20:16

Absolutely. Absolutely. Um, much of the Stockdale Center uh funded by the foundation. So because there are so many, and parents, you know, when they first come in, because they haven't had that firsthand experience going through any of these programs, I'm really trying to focus parents on four funds. And then once they get involved, once they start giving, they can obviously meet with us to kind of fine-tune where they want to give. But I try to encourage parents to pick from one of four. The first is the Naval Academy fund, the un the unrestricted one. But then because the Naval Academy has a moral, a mental, and a physical mission for the moral mission, I encourage them to give to experiential

Where To Give And What It Funds

SPEAKER_05 1:21:05

leadership development. And that's the opportunity that midshipmen get to take what they've learned in the classroom and go take it to the field. So, as an example, my son did um the Knowles program. He did four weeks with the National Outdoor Leadership School, paid for by Foundation Dollars. He was able to go to Alaska and hike on a glacier. Uh, he actually came home with a certificate saying he had hiked on land that had never really been hiked on before, which is pretty amazing. He had the opportunity to um dig runways. Like it would take 15 midshipmen nine hours to dig a runway so that a plane could land so they could get their food. So that experience is something you're not gonna get without private funding. So for the moral mission, because so many difficult ethical decisions have to be made when you're on an outdoor experience like that, we put that underneath the we put experiential leadership development under the moral mission. For the mental mission, that's really dollars that are going to go towards the center for academic excellence. And we focus on that fund because almost every single midshipment, certainly almost every plebe, uses the center for academic excellence. It's where tutoring support comes from. Academic, um, all kinds of academic support, including the writing center. Right? You're nodding your head, yes, because oh yeah, everybody uses that.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:34

I I use that for academic excellence a lot. Yeah, I uh I certainly was not academically excellent. Uh, and so uh we we utilize that again, especially the writing center, having help with papers, having someone to look over these things for you that understands the naval academy world, the system, how to advise and this like it truly like it can be critical in a lot of midshipmen's experience and kind of okay. The naval academy is hard. Academically, it's it's freaking difficult. I talk again. I talk about like the fact that academically it's like a high school on steroids. This isn't like big lecture halls and you kind of do whatever you want and it's willy-nilly, and you're just there for attendance. Like, no, no, no, no. Like it the school's hard. Really tough. And that said it's incredible. It supports midshipment in incredible ways.

SPEAKER_05 1:23:23

So that's that's really why I'm leading parents in that direction. Um, so that's for the mental mission. And then obviously for the physical mission, we want them to give to athletic excellence. Tayla talked about all the different funds that they have, but athletic excellence is the opportunity for the athletic director to look at you know the overall physical mission, because that's what he's charged with, and where should he direct dollars uh so that every midshipman is physically prepared for the fight. And so between those four funds, Navy, uh the Naval Academy Fund, and then experiential leadership, Center for Academic Excellence, and Athletic Excellence, that at least gets parents focused on the big, big three mission set, uh, the big three mission, and then obviously the the flexible fund. So besides that, if parents want more information on where to give or something that they're super passionate about, or something they want to be really specific about, they should reach out to me. And if I don't know the answer myself, I will direct them to a gift officer who can talk with them more about what they're re what they really care about.

SPEAKER_01 1:24:30

Perfect. And we'll put your contact information, your email, like in all of the descriptions, uh, in the note, the show notes of the podcast, everything. Um, but if someone's just listening right now and they wanted to reach out to you, do you mind just kind of giving your email of where they could reach out to you?

SPEAKER_05 1:24:45

Sure. The best way to reach me is at Karen, K-A-R-E-N dot Hicks, H-I-C-K-S at U Sna.com. Perfect. It's really simple. They can also call me, 410-295-4119. I love talking to parents one-on-one. Just really love hearing their stories, what's going on with their midshipmen, and then how I can help to, you know, with their philanthropic plans.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:09

Yeah. And will there be um, do you I and sorry to put you on the spot here, do you have any idea if you will be present at I Day? Like if there are parents around I Day, is there an opportunity to meet you?

SPEAKER_05 1:25:20

Absolutely. I will be sitting at a table right outside of Alumni Hall, um, hopefully underneath a tent. And I would love to just have parents walk over and just exactly away from the sun, um, walk over, say hello, tell me what is going on with them. I can answer questions about philanthropy and really just about what plebe summer is about too, and kind of those um help get rid of some of those jitters.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:44

Yeah, no, absolutely. Well, Karen, thank you so much uh for the time today. I know we could probably talk for hours about uh different ways to give and all this stuff, but this is the perfect uh start. And again, I encourage anyone who's interested. Again, I've uh what's been really interesting for me, again, now that I've been a part of this world and especially with my job within real estate is I know that there are ways to donate. Again, like you're saying, future endowment stocks, real estate, even to deliver it to the alumni association. So many ways to give philanthropically back. And so, again, if any parents out there have any interesting or creative ways that, you know, they would love to potentially give to the Alumni Association, just reach out to Karen and she will be able to facilitate all of those conversations or get you in touch with the right people in order to support this mission. And um, you know, again, as we kind of wrap up this episode a little bit, I just want to highlight how wildly important. Again, it is not in like the DOD budget, it's not in the government budget to fund everything at the Naval Academy. So much comes from

Parent Wardroom And Yearlong Outreach

SPEAKER_01 1:26:45

the generosity of parents, alumni, family members, just general supporters that make the midshipment experience what it is. Like we live on it, and it's what makes it so special. Um, and so again, I encourage you to reach out to Karen and anyone who's involved here um to continue to make this experience and this institution an incredible one. Um, and so I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_05 1:27:06

Karen, thank you so much for taking the time to absolutely, absolutely, I just that you got for I just wanted to mention one other thing. There is a small group that just formed in August of last year called the Parent Ward Room. There's only 44 families in this little group, but these are parents who are passionate about what's going on on the yard and they really would like to help educate other parents. They want to become educated themselves on what the government pays for and where private dollars are needed. And so I spend time with this small group, letting them hear from different fund directors. Um, so if anybody is interested in joining us, like I said, it's a small intimate group, but it's people that really care about what's needed, how can I help? So they're welcome to talk to me about things like that. And otherwise, I'm gonna be reaching out to parents all during the year, specifically as their midshipmen have significant milestones um on the yard. They'll be getting, you know, mail from me, sometimes phone calls from um our calling partner or emails from me. So uh I I try to do my best to reach out and let you know when when we could use your help.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:16

Incredible. Well, thank you so much. Uh thank you for and thank you for taking the time to help explain everything. Um for everyone listening, I hope this episode was helpful in understanding this massive entity and how each of these individual branches actually goes to supporting midshipmen and the naval academy experience. Again, and the special aspect of the Naval Academy that a midshipman becomes an alumni. Again, the moment they they raise their right hand and swear that oath of office ceremony at the start. And so all of this organization goes not only to supporting graduates, but

Final Takeaways And Listener Requests

SPEAKER_01 1:28:52

it goes to supporting the midshipmen actively at the Naval Academy and um just continues to need our support. So I appreciate it, Aaron. Thanks again.

SPEAKER_05 1:29:00

I really absolutely thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:03

Yep, you're the best. Uh to everyone listening, I hope you enjoyed this episode. Please reach out if you ever have any questions. We'll put a ton of information in the show notes. And I hope you have an incredible day. Thanks. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Academy Insider Podcast. I really hope you liked it, enjoyed it, and learned something during this time. If you did, please feel free to like and subscribe or leave a comment about the episode. We really appreciate to hear your feedback about everything and continue to make Academy Insider an amazing service that guides, serves, and supports midshipmen, future midshipmen, and their families. Thank you.